Pear Blueberry Brown Betty Recipes

APPLE-BERRY BROWN BETTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Toss the apples, blackberries, granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, the lemon zest and juice, flour and 4 tablespoons melted butter in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, combine the cones, brown sugar, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, the almonds, salt and the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter.
• Pour half of the apple-berry mixture into the prepared baking dish. Scatter half of the cone mixture on top. Spread the remaining apple-berry mixture on top, then sprinkle with the remaining cone mixture. Bake until the apples are soft and the topping is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer the dish to a rack and let sit 10 minutes before serving. Top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

PEAR AND SOUR CHERRY BROWN BETTY WITH BRANDY HARD SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the hard sauce, in a medium bowl set an electric mixer on high and beat the butter until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add confectioners' sugar. When the sugar is incorporated, set the speed back to high. Add the brandy 1 tablespoon at a time and beat until combined. Beat in the nutmeg. Transfer the sauce to a ramekin or bowl, cover and refrigerate. Hard sauce can be made at least a week ahead, but allow it to come to room temperature before serving (about 20 minutes).
• To make the brown betty, heat the Cognac or brandy in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the liquid has come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the cherries. Allow them to absorb most of the liquid, about 20 minutes.
• While cherries are standing, heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the sugar mixture for sprinkling. Add bread, butter and lemon zest. Toss until sugar has dissolved and bread is completely coated.
• In a shallow 1 1/2-quart gratin dish (or a 9-by-9-inch pan), scatter a little under half the bread cubes. Layer half the pear slices and half the cherries (along with any liquid) on top. Cover with a cup of bread crumbs and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons cider. Layer remaining pears, cherries and bread. Sprinkle top with remaining cider and reserved sugar-and-spice mixture.
• Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes. Take off foil and continue baking, until crumbs are golden brown and pears are very soft, about 15 minutes more. Serve warm with dollops of hard sauce.

PEAR, ALMOND, AND DRIED-CHERRY BROWN BETTY

Steps:

• Combine cherries and brandy in small bowl; let soak until cherries soften, 1 to 2 hours. Drain (reserve brandy for another use).
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine bread pieces and almonds in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Spread crumb mixture evenly on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crumb mixture is light golden and crisp, about 16 minutes. Transfer crumb mixture to medium bowl; toss with melted butter. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
• Mix 1 1/2 cups hot water and honey in 2-cup measuring cup. Combine drained cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and cloves in large bowl; stir to blend well. Add pear cubes and toss to coat.
• Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of crumb mixture over bottom of prepared baking pan. Spread half of pear mixture over crumb mixture. Top with 1/3 of crumb mixture, then remaining pear mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over. Pour water-honey mixture over.
• Cover pan tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until crumb mixture is golden brown on top and pear filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool at least 20 minutes. do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then cover and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 300°F oven 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

PEAR-BLUEBERRY BETTY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray eight 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with vegetable spray; coat each with 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar. Cut bread into 1/4-inch cubes; place on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degree.
• Slice pears in half lengthwise; core. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, brandy, and 4 tablespoons pear nectar; toss to combine.
• Place bread cubes in a bowl; add melted butter and half the liquid from pear mixture; toss to combine. Place 1 heaping tablespoon bread in each ramekin to cover bottom. Distribute half the pears among ramekins. Add 1 heaping tablespoon blueberries to each; cover with remaining pears. Divide remaining bread over pears; drizzle with remaining pear liquid.
• Cover each ramekin with foil; press down on tops and place on a baking sheet. Place a baking pan on top of ramekins and fill with dried beans to weight it. Bake until puddings are golden, about 50 minutes. Remove weight and transfer ramekins to a wire rack; let cool for about 20 minutes. Remove foil. Unmold onto serving plates.
• Meanwhile, whisk yogurt with remaining tablespoon brown sugar and pear nectar. Serve yogurt sauce on the side.

BLACKBERRY BROWN BETTY WITH PECAN CRUMBLE

Steps:

• For the pastry cream: In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla bean pod and seeds to a boil over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil, cover the pan, remove it from the heat, and let steep for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch together until very thick. Slowly drizzle one-third of the hot milk into the yolks, whisking constantly. Remove the vanilla bean pod. Return the yolk mixture to the saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, whisking continually, until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue whisking while the mixture boils for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat. Whisk slowly until the mixture cools a bit, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time.
• The pastry cream needs to be chilled before using. One method is to cover the surface of the cream with a sheet of buttered parchment, or butter wrappers, and refrigerate it until it is very cold. The other method, which I prefer, is quicker: Set the bowl of pastry cream in a larger bowl filled with lots of ice and some cold water and allow it to sit until very cold. (Think of chilling a bottle of wine or champagne-you need some water to ensure even cooling.) If you choose this method, stir the cream occasionally for even cooling. The pastry cream can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.
• For the crumble topping: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup of the pecans.
• Put the remaining 3/4 cup pecans in a food processor along with 1/2 cup of the cake flour. (The flour will help keep the nuts from turning into pecan butter.) Pulse the pecans until they're very finely chopped. Add the rest of the flour, the confectioners' sugar, turbinado sugar, salt and baking powder. Pulse until mixed, 3 to 4 times.
• With the machine running, add the melted butter and vanilla. Pulse until large clumps form. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the reserved 1/4 cup chopped pecans. Refrigerate until chilled. The topping can be made several days in advance and can also be frozen for up to 1 month.
• To bake the betties, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Have ready eight 6-ounce ramekins or baking dishes.
• Divide the chilled pastry cream evenly among the ramekins. The cream should fill just under one-third of the ramekin. I like piping the cream into the ramekins, but using a spoon old-school works just as well.
• Evenly portion the berries on top of the pastry cream. Remove the crumble from the refrigerator. Break off clumps about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in diameter, keeping the clumps about the same size, and divide them evenly among the ramekins.
• Arrange the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the berries start to bubble and the topping turns golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, let cool for 10 to 15 minutes, and serve dusted with confectioners' sugar. You can also serve the betties topped with ice cream, whipped cream or creme fraiche, or you can pour a little warm heavy cream into each betty.

PEAR AND BLUEBERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons white sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl; reserve.
• Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and baking powder in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the butter and 1 1/4 cups white sugar together in a separate large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in 1/2 of the milk and another 1/3 of the flour mixture. Repeat with the remaining milk and flour. Stir in the almond extract.
• Gently fold pears, blueberries, and chopped almonds into the batter. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle reserved sugar and cinnamon mixture over the cake batter.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

BERRY BEST PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. In medium bowl, mix 2 cups flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
• Gather pastry into a ball; divide pastry in half. On lightly floured surface, shape each half into flattened round. Roll one round of pastry, using floured rolling pin, into circle 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge 1 inch from rim of plate.
• In small bowl, mix sugar, 1/3 cup flour and the cinnamon. Place pears in pastry-lined pie plate. Sprinkle sugar mixture over pears. Top with cranberries. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over filling.
• Roll other round of pastry; cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide. To make lattice top, place about 7 strips across filling in pie plate. Weave a cross-strip through center by first folding back every other strip of the first 7 strips. Continue weaving, folding back alternate strips before adding each cross-strip, until lattice is complete. (To save time, place second half of strips crosswise across first strips instead of weaving.) Trim ends of strips. Fold trimmed edge of bottom pastry over ends of strips. Press edge with fork.
• In small bowl, mix egg white and 1 teaspoon water; brush on lattice pastry top. Cover edge of pastry with 2- to 3-inch strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until crust is brown and juice begins to bubble through lattice crust.

PEAR BETTYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway through, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Coarsely crush with a rolling pin so that the largest pieces are the size of peas.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in breadcrumbs, sugar, spices, salt, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider, and the lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Peel pears; cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Place a heaping 1/2 cup pears in each of 6 small (5-inch) pie plates or ramekins. Top each with 1/4 cup breadcrumb mixture; drizzle each with 1 tablespoon cider. Top with remaining pears, then with remaining breadcrumb mixture.
• Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until topping is browned and juices are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 15 minutes before serving.

AMPLE BROWN BETTY

Steps:

• Toss bread cubes with butter; divide half of the cubes among four greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pans. Arrange apples over bread, using 10 cups per pan. Mix 2 cups of brown sugar, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon; divide into fourths and sprinkle over the apples. Mix water and lemon juice; pour a fourth into each pan. Top with remaining bread cubes. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar equally over pans. Cover and bake at 375° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 25-30 minutes longer.

BLUEBERRY BETTY

Steps:

• In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, sugar substitute, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the blueberries. , Pour into two 1-cup baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Top with toast cubes; sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.